| Original caption: “The pathfinder unit of the 101st Airborne Division, dropped by parachute, sets up radar equipment near Bastogne, Belgium. It is their job to guide planes with medical supplies and ammunition to the division, besieged by the Germans.” Pathfinders were specially trained to jump into enemy territory to mark landing and drop zones for subsequent waves of supply aircraft, paratroopers and gliders. Each pathfinder stick was equipped with AN/PPN-1A Eureka beacons and other special equipment. After landing, the pathfinders would set up the Eureka beacons, which sent out a signal to C-47s equipped with APN-2(SCR-729) Rebecca receivers. Once the Eureka signal had been picked up, the Rebecca-equipped C-47s would guide other aircraft to the intended drop zone — no matter how small. Within 30 minutes of the pathfinder landings, the planes were nearly over Bastogne. The pathfinders waited until the last minute to turn on their Eureka set so as not to give their position away to German radio direction-finders. When the sound of the approaching aircraft was loud enough, Agnew switched on his beacon, and the pilots knew exactly where to drop their bundles. This also was the signal for waiting American jeeps and trucks to get ready to rush out into the drop zone to get the supplies. At 1150 Hours, hundreds of brightly colored parachute canopies filled the skies over Bastogne. The spectacle even startled the Germans, who momentarily stopped firing. As the parachute bundles touched ground, the men raced out to drag in the desperately needed ammunition, food and medical supplies. The heavily loaded jeeps raced back to collection points where they were unloaded, and the contents sent on to the most needy units. Meanwhile, other supply-laden C-47s headed for Bastogne through a hail of heavy groundfire — unarmed, unarmored and without fighter escort. In just over 4 hours, 241 planes dropped 144 tons of supplies to the Bastogne garrison. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0327.jpg |
| Image Size | 742.94 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2940 x 2256 |
| Photographer | Krochka |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | December 23, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Bastogne |
| State or Province | Wallonia |
| Country | Belgium |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-111-SC-222396 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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